December 21, 2007

The Pogues' Shane MacGowan at 50: "Fairytale of New York"

After so many lessons, it's time for a carol.Happy birthday to Irish singer-songwriter Shane MacGowan, born December 25, 1957, who will turn 50 on Christmas Day. He is currently touring Ireland with his reunited Pogues. Kirsty MacColl, who sings the duet with MacGowan on "Fairytale of New York" from 1987, died in a boat wreck off the coast of Cozumel in 2000. The song has legions of fans, with many claiming it as the best Christmas song ever written.

See a story about hard-drinking MacGowan's miraculous approach to 50 in The Guardian.

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The St. Regis New York, 2 East 55th Street at Fifth Avenue

Opened in 1904 by John Jacob Astor, the St. Regis is one of the the city's most famous hotels. Photo from December 4, 2016.

About Walking Off the Big Apple

Walking Off the Big Apple features self-guided tours to neighborhoods, streets, cultural history, good books, architecture, museums, parks, landscapes, and offbeat travel experiences in New York City.

Older posts will sometimes be updated to reflect relevant changes in the city, i.e. store or restaurant closings or transit information.

Writer and editor Teri Tynes created Walking Off the Big Apple in the summer of 2007. See more in About.